Watch The History of the United States Navy

2024
1 Season

The United States Navy has played a vital role both in resolving conflicts and in peacekeeping for 250 years. Learn the saga of its history, from the exploits of the young US Navy and its emergence as a global naval power to its vital role in World War II, the Cold War, and beyond. These engrossing lectures offer you an unforgettable view into a core element of American life.

The History of the United States Navy is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (24 episodes). The series first aired on April 18, 2024.

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Seasons

24. China

April 18, 2024

Review the complex history of China over the last century, and the parameters of China

23. America

April 18, 2024

At the turn of the 21st century, new conflicts required the US Navy to reassess its role in the post-Soviet world. Track the Navy

22. Projecting Naval Power in the Middle East

April 18, 2024

In the late 20th century, the US Navy operated in a new and dangerous world, fraught with ambiguous political relationships, as well as highly sophisticated weaponry. Examine conditions within the Middle East that led to attacks on American ships during the Iran/Iraq War and the Six-Days War. See how tensions with Iran resulted in the largest surface naval battle since World War II.

21. How the Navy Reformed after Vietnam

April 18, 2024

The era of the Civil Rights movement exposed racial inequities within the Navy, leading to violent confrontations on ships. Examine naval reforms under Admiral Elmo Zumwalt that sought to address both racial and gender discrimination. Then, observe the expansion of the Navy under President Ronald Reagan, and its intervention in political conflicts on the island of Grenada, and later in Libya.

20. The Gulf of Tonkin and War in Vietnam

April 18, 2024

Though the Vietnam War was largely a land war, the Navy played a distinct role in the conflict. Learn how US naval action with the North Vietnamese in the Gulf of Tonkin brought the United States formally into the war. Trace the Navy

19. Hyman Rickover and the Nuclear Navy

April 18, 2024

From the early 1950s to the mid-1960s, the US Navy often acted as a global peacekeeper. Follow the events of crises in the Mediterranean, Lebanon, and Taiwan, and the Navy

18. MacArthur

April 18, 2024

The US Navy was called into action in 1950 in the first aggressive move of the Cold War. Survey the events that led to war in Korea, and the US and United Nations

17. The Birth of NATO and New Cold War Threats

April 18, 2024

Following World War II, take stock of integral changes in US naval operations. Grasp how the Cold War and the creation of NATO brought new, global defense responsibilities for the Navy. With the advent of nuclear weaponry, examine the Navy

16. Kamikazes, Atomic Bombs, and America

April 18, 2024

The US Navy ended the war as the greatest maritime power in world history. In the Pacific Theater, trace the monumental battle of Saipan, a major turning point. Then, study the dramatic American recapture of the Philippines, and the months-long US invasion of Okinawa, leading to the final defeat of Japan

15. Amphibious Warfare from Sicily to Saipan

April 18, 2024

Visualize the procedures and logistics of amphibious naval operations, which became a major aspect of war in World War II. Begin with the US invasion of the Pacific island of Guadalcanal, a six-month ordeal on land and sea. Then, study key amphibious assaults on the island of Betio, the Marshall Islands, and the D-Day invasion of Normandy

14. U-Boats, Convoys, and Radar in the Atlantic

April 18, 2024

For three years, German U-boats (submarines) fought to destroy Britain

13. Big Aircraft Carrier Battles of the Pacific

April 18, 2024

Follow the deployment of US aircraft carriers in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor and see how these carriers became the dominant naval weapon of the war. Observe how carriers worked with other ships and the aircraft they hosted. Witness the key events of the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first fought entirely with carrier-based aircraft, the pivotal Battle of Midway, and more.

12. The Naval Threats of Nazi Germany and Japan

April 18, 2024

Delve into key events affecting the US Navy between the world wars, including sweeping naval arms reduction agreements, the emergence of the aircraft carrier, and the US Marines

11. Teddy Roosevelt and the Battleship Age

April 18, 2024

Take the measure of the battleship as the dominant naval warship between about 1890 and 1940. Study their design, firepower, and dramatically increasing proportions. Under Teddy Roosevelt, observe the use of the Navy as a tool of diplomacy, and the ensuing multi-country naval arms race. During World War I, track the Navy

10. Mahan

April 18, 2024

Witness the renaissance of the US Navy in the 1890s, as a substantial, modernized fleet and a standing force capable of responding to crises. See how the Cuban rebellion against Spain in 1895 triggered events leading to the Spanish declaration of war on the United States. Relive two major US naval victories in the war, at Manila and Santiago, Cuba, leaving the US Navy a global naval power.

9. Union Victories from Charleston to Cape Fear

April 18, 2024

As the Civil War drew on, Confederate vessels slipping through the North

8. Union Gunboats on Confederate Rivers

April 18, 2024

Learn how control of the western rivers played a critical role in the Civil War. Begin with the Union

7. Civil War Ironclads, Torpedoes, and Submarines

April 18, 2024

The Civil War brought new technology to naval warfare. Picture the battle of the USS Merrimack and the USS Monitor, the conflict

6. Navy Expeditions from Antarctica to Japan

April 18, 2024

The US Navy became a global force through its actions in the first half of the 19th century. Track the Navy

5. Pirates of the Barbary Coast and Caribbean

April 18, 2024

One of the US Navy

4. British Blockade and the War of 1812

April 18, 2024

Investigate the economic and political conflicts that led the United States to declare war on Britain in 1812. In the wake of the British blockade of the US coast, track the frigate duels that gave the United States its victories over the British. Then, study the most strategically significant naval battles of the war, on Lake Erie and Lake Champlain, and their impact on the war

3. Alexander Hamilton and the Early Navalists

April 18, 2024

Trace the disputes for and against establishing a standing US naval force. Then, learn about the threats against American merchant ships by both Barbary Coast corsairs and the French, leading to the

2. American Revolution on River, Lake, and Sea

April 18, 2024

Take account of the three arms of sea power on the American side during the American Revolution. Follow the first American naval shipbuilding at Lake Champlain, the birth of the Continental Navy, and the exploits of John Paul Jones. Then, observe the role in the conflict of privateering against British merchant ships, and the French Navy

1. The British Origins of the US Navy

April 18, 2024

Begin with an overview of the British Royal Navy at the time of US independence. Learn about the British ships-of-the-line, including their military technology and procedures during engagements. Visualize the lives of naval personnel, both officers and sailors, and the severe hardships of life at sea. Note how the early American naval system was modeled on the British system.

Description

Where to Watch The History of the United States Navy

The History of the United States Navy is available for streaming on the The Great Courses website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The History of the United States Navy on demand at Apple TV Channels and Amazon Prime and Amazon.